She earned that gold medal.
Team USA has come in first place in the Olympic women’s artistic gymnastics all-around competition since 2004. With Simone Biles on the roster at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, fans thought she and her team were bound to win gold again. However, when she withdrew from the competition on July 28 to focus on her mental health, things became uncertain. As it turns out, there was nothing to worry about. Sunisa Lee, an 18-year-old Hmong American from Minnesota, ranked first, becoming the fifth U.S. woman in a row to win gold in the individual all-around. If you’ve fallen in love with her just like the rest of the world, you should watch Sunisa Lee’s best gymnastics moments.
Lee’s journey to the Olympics wasn’t an easy one. Despite all her obstacles, she was able to not only make it to Tokyo, but also make her country proud by bringing home the gold. After winning the competition on Thursday, July 29, Lee revealed she didn’t expect to come in first place in the individual all-around. “It’s crazy. It doesn’t feel like real life at all,” she told reporters after the event. “Coming into this competition, I didn’t even think that I could be competing for a gold medal. I was coming to compete for a silver medal.”
If you’re eager to know more about her, watch Lee’s best gymnastics moments below.
Lee competed at the U.S. National Gymnastics Championships for the first time in 2018. She won gold in the uneven bars portion of the junior division with 14.800 points, while Biles earned 14.850 in the senior women’s division, putting Lee on par with those with more experience. Lee also won silver in the balance beam and bronze in the all-around competition that year.
Lee had one of her best performances at the 2019 City of Jesolo Trophy competition, which marked her debut as a senior gymnast. She not only won gold on the uneven bars, but she came out on top in the all-around portion and floor exercise as well. She also took home a bronze model on balance beam and helped her team win gold in the team final.
In 2019, Lee made her debut at the World Championships, where she earned a silver medal for her floor routine, scoring 14.133 points. The ranking put her second only to Biles, who earned 15.133 points.
Lee won gold at the U.S. National Championships in the uneven bars portion for the second time in 2021. She scored 15.300 in the senior division, which helped earn her a spot at the Olympic Trials.
In 2021, Lee became the first Hmong American to compete at the Olympics. Since Team USA has won gold in the all-around competition at the Olympic Games since 2004, there was a lot of pressure on her to do well, too. She definitely rose to the occasion, becoming the fifth American all-around winner in a row.
Lee was always on her way to becoming a household name. After her amazing performance at the 2021 Olympics, she is now officially recognized as one of the best gymnasts in the world.
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